


One Step Ahead

by Mistress_of_Squirrels



Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Blood and Gore, Explicit Language, F/M, Graphic Description, Nuka World, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-15
Updated: 2017-11-15
Packaged: 2019-02-02 20:19:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12733611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mistress_of_Squirrels/pseuds/Mistress_of_Squirrels
Summary: Gage finds out that he's not the only one that likes pulling strings.





	One Step Ahead

**Author's Note:**

> Obligatory warning: For anyone that doesn't know, Cal is a raider and does raider shit.
> 
> There's some pretty gross descriptions in this, so maybe not the best thing to be reading if you have a weak stomach? Also, Cal's awful attempts at flirting. Those probably deserve a tag of their own.

They’d done it.

 

They’d finally carved a chunk of the Commonwealth for themselves. Sure, that was always the plan, but Gage had to admit that somewhere in that mess with Colter and the gangs, he might have lost hope of ever seeing anything come of it. It was still a little hard to believe, even with the proof of their first outpost right in front of his eyes.

 

And some asshole wanted to come along and try to take it.

 

That actually wasn’t so hard to believe. Gage had been around too long to expect anything else, really, but what _did_ surprise him was how willing Cal had been to come all the way out there and take care of things.

 

Knowing her as well as he did now, maybe it shouldn’t have, but the Overboss was a busy woman; he wouldn’t have blamed her if she’d decided to let the Disciples deal with Sinner themselves. No doubt, they could hold their own just fine, but the boss putting in a personal appearance made a bigger statement. Lucky for him, that wasn’t something Cal had ever needed explained. She loved putting on a show as much as Colter ever had, only she was a damn sight better at it, if the Disciples were anything to go by. Always hard to tell with them, between the blood and the masks, but the grins they flashed as they strung up what was left of Sinner and his crew looked downright _gleeful_.

 

Well, it was nice to see the ladies enjoying themselves. Even nicer that _he_ wasn’t part of the fun, though that was a closer call than he would have liked. Only a desperate plan and Cal’s particular brand of crazy had kept his head and limbs right where he liked them, but looking around now, seeing everything fall into place, it was hard to feel any kind of regret. Even if Colter had been the biggest mistake of his life.

 

Scanning the settlement for the familiar bright shock of her hair, Gage found the boss seated on the sagging steps of the manor’s porch, her studded bat laid across her lap. Worth every minute spent in that stinking shithole with Cito, or so she claimed. Privately, Gage had to wonder. It was an impressive weapon, to be sure, but he wouldn’t be forgetting the stench of ghoulified gorilla anytime soon. It was funny to watch the boss slaughter the damn things, though. That made it _almost_ worth it.

 

As if she’d heard his thoughts, Cal caught his eye and grinned, jerking her head in invitation. No sooner had Gage slid onto the step beside her than a wicked glint came into her eyes. With a smirk, she flicked a chunk of something gray and... _soft_ at him from one of the spikes of her bat. Gage swore he heard a quiet splat as it hit the cage of his armor and slid down, disappearing through a gap in the steps beneath his feet.

 

“Aw, c’mon, boss!” Gage huffed in disgust. “What the fuck was _that_?”

 

Still snickering, Cal just shrugged. “He said he wanted to give me a piece of his mind. Got a few, from the looks of it.”

 

“Really? Christ, it’s like dealing with a psychotic two year old sometimes.”

 

Gage snatched the cloth Cal was using to clean the gore from her bat and gave it a rough swipe across his armor. He didn’t mind a bit of blood - that came with the job - but some things... _ugh_.

 

“Sorry to offend your delicate sensibilities.” The boss flashed a grin that showed too many teeth to be anywhere near apologetic and went back to wiping down the length of aluminum.

 

Not many raiders took that kind of time to care for their weapons, but after finding out exactly what was on the damn thing, Gage wasn’t gonna complain.

 

When she was through, Cal tossed the bloody scrap of cloth aside and stood, bringing her arms above her head and rising up on her toes in a full-body stretch. Gage took his time getting to his feet, unable to resist letting his gaze drift to where the boss’s black leathers rose just a bit higher from the muscled plane of her stomach. Her arched brow told him he’d been caught, but instead of saying anything, Cal just smirked and gave him her own once-over, steel-colored eyes sweeping from the tips of his hair to the toes of his boots.

 

With an awkward cough, Gage quickly looked away, nodding toward the ruined street. “So, you, uh, ready to hit the road?”

 

“Had enough excitement for one day, old man?”

 

Gage ignored her teasing and shook his head. “Nah, I just don’t like leaving Nuka World on its own for too long, boss; you know that. No tellin’ what those assholes’ll do. Might get back and find Mason in charge.”

 

He meant it as a joke, but the boss didn’t laugh like he expected. She didn’t seem upset by the idea, either. Cal looked damn near excited.

 

“Uh...Anything I should know about, boss?”

 

The intensity of her gaze didn’t match her tone as she shrugged and said, “You’re right is all. Be a shame to get back and see that someone had done something _stupid_.”

 

“I was just givin’ you shit, boss. Or are you expectin’ some kind of trouble?”

 

With a sly wink, Cal leaned in close enough for him to feel the heat of her breath against his ear. “I’m countin’ on it,” she whispered, and before he could ask just what in the hell that meant, she was gone, headed for the road in long, smooth strides.

 

With a muttered curse, Gage hurried after her. Boss liked her games, but he hadn’t heard anything about the shit she was hinting at. There’d been some grumbling, sure, but the gangs were always bitching about something or other. Crossing her now, when they were better off than they’d ever been under Colter, just didn’t make any fucking sense. Yet Cal seemed certain something big was brewing.

 

 _Counting_ on it, she’d said. What was she playing at, and why hadn’t she told him?

 

Disappointment and something Gage tried desperately to convince himself wasn’t hurt settled heavy in the pit of his stomach. The boss was welcome to her secrets, of course, but this was different. He’d put his own blood and sweat into Nuka World; being kept in the dark like that stung. He really thought they were past that shit, that they were... _better_. Hell, he might have been willing to go as far as calling them friends, but now he just felt like an idiot for even thinking it.

 

After they’d put a few blocks between them and the outpost, the boss slowed her pace, falling back just enough to walk beside him. “You’re pissed,” she said, like she’d just announced it was going to rain. Glancing at him through the dirty strands of her hair, her mouth quirked into a grin as she added, “I like it. It’s a good look for you.”

 

Scratching at the side of his neck, Gage let out an irritated sigh. “You plan on tellin’ me what’s going on, or do I gotta guess? I thought we had some kind of trust here, boss, but I ain’t any use to you outside of the loop.”

 

Cal snorted, gray eyes amused. “Gage, if I didn’t trust you, I’d’ve fed you to Mason’s pet mutie a long time ago - maybe scored some extra points with Nisha while I was at it. Lucky for you, I changed my mind.”

 

“Yeah,” Gage drawled. “Thanks, I guess.” Because really, what was there to say to that?

 

“Never was one for kissin’ ass.” Cal waved a hand, dismissing the idea of feeding him to a supermutant like she’d shoo away a bug, and got back on topic. “Look, it’s real simple; three gangs, five parks. Ain’t got much of a head for math, but even I knew someone was gonna get a raw deal from that. Then what happens?”

 

Gage had to admit, he’d had the same concern. But they were moving into the ‘Wealth now, and an outpost would’ve evened things up.

 

Except, Cal had given that to the Disciples, not the Operators.

 

“You _want_ the Operators to turn on us.”

 

The boss rolled one broad shoulder in a careless shrug. “I like to be prepared for anything. Why do you think I took all those jobs, Gage? I’m the Overboss, not some fuckin’ sheep wrangler.”

 

“Yeah, but that title didn’t mean shit until you had their respect,” Gage pointed out, unsure of what she was getting at.

 

“No one respects an errand boy,” Cal laughed. “But no one’s watchin’ one, neither. Talkin’ to the gang leaders is one thing, but if it’s dirt you’re after, you gotta go diggin’, and the sheep know where to start.”

 

She’d done something similar right after killing Colter, Gage remembered. Instead of heading directly for Fizztop like he’d wanted, she’d made him wait over an hour while she chatted up the traders about the other bosses and the other bosses about _him_. Any leverage he might have hoped for was gone as soon as she knew it was his ass on the line as much as hers. Smart, really, but raiders weren’t exactly known for thinking on their feet. Then again, Cal wasn’t just any raider; not then and not now. He really ought to keep that in mind.

 

“Alright, I get it,” Gage conceded.  “Nothin’ wrong with a contingency plan. But Mags is smart. Even she’s gotta recognize a good thing.”

 

“Oh, she’s smart, and that’s the fuckin’ problem. Smart is unpredictable. Smart ain’t so easily satisfied. How long do you think caps will keep her happy? How long ‘til she starts wantin’ more?”

 

“She’s...ambitious, I’ll give you that,” Gage agreed cautiously. “Still don’t mean she’d betray us. But if she does…”

 

“We know it’s coming,” Cal finished. “And we deal with it.” She looked down at her bat, rubbing her thumb along the shiny surface of the aluminum. “You might not have noticed, but I don’t like rivals, Gage. If I’ve got one, I wanna know about it.”

 

Giving the Disciples that outpost would tell her, Gage realized, and she’d have the chance to take out a potential threat without going against the other gangs. None of ‘em could fault her just for doling out territory, and they sure as shit wouldn’t expect a gang that moved against her to go unpunished. Fucking genius, was what it was. Ruthless as hell, but genius. He just wished she’d have filled _him_ in.

 

“You coulda told me,” Gage sighed. “After all the shit you’ve done for us, I got your back through just about anything. Woulda thought you knew that.”

 

“I’m tellin’ you now,” Cal pointed out. “So yeah, I know. Before - well, before it would’ve been fuckin’ stupid. Only reason I’m here was so you could get rid of Colter."

 

“Yeah, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that, boss... I know what it looks like -”

 

“Like you turned on your old boss?” Cal laughed. “Shit, Gage, I ain’t mad about it. Just wasn’t lookin’ to be next in line.”

 

“That’s what I’m trying to say, boss: that ain’t gonna happen. Not now.”

 

“There was a chance?”

 

“As much of one as you feedin’ me to a mutant,” Gage retorted, relaxing into the return of their familiar banter.

 

The boss let out a low whistle. “That high, huh? Almost wish I’d have done it, now.”

 

She went quiet, eyes fixed on the road ahead, but after several moments, he heard her take a deep breath. “I ain’t gonna apologize for not tellin’ you sooner,” she began, still not looking at him. “Had my reasons, but...shit’s changed. You keep doin’ right by me, and I’ll do right by you.”

 

It was as close to a promise as he’d ever heard her come, and one she didn’t have to give. He wouldn’t argue that becoming Overboss had worked out in Cal’s favor, but there’d been no choice to it - not if she wanted to make it out of there alive. This though, this was real, and he wouldn’t give her anything less in return.

 

“Yeah, boss. I can do that.”


End file.
